Amid increasing recognition and debate over overdiagnosis, experts emphasise the importance of comprehensive assessment and personalised treatment plans for ADHD, cautioning against both dismissing the condition and overpathologising childhood behaviour.
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder remains one of the most debated neurodevelopmental conditions, partly because its everyday signs can look like ordinary childhood behaviour. Yet according to the Saudi health publication “Sehhatk”, that debate should not obscure the central issue: distinguishing children and adults who genuinely need assessment from those whose differences fall within the normal range.
Recent discussion has been sharpened by a British documentary that questioned whether ADHD is being overdiagnosed. The article says that is a useful prompt, but not proof that the condition is imaginary. Dr Wael Abdelkhalek El-Dekrory, a Saudi specialist quoted by Sehhatk, argued that rising referrals in Britain, Canada and the United States may reflect greater awareness, especially among adults, as well as wider concern about how schools and modern routines shape behaviour.
That does not mean every diagnosis is correct. The article notes that rushed evaluations, especially those based too narrowly on symptom checklists, can miss a child’s developmental history, learning profile and wider context. The American Psychiatric Association’s DSM-5-TR and the World Health Organisation’s ICD-11 both classify ADHD as a neurodevelopmental disorder, while research reviews also point to strong genetic influence and measurable differences in brain networks linked to attention and executive function. Even so, no brain scan or blood test can confirm the diagnosis in an individual patient.
The same source stresses that environment matters. Some children benefit from simpler classroom adjustments, including fewer distractions, shorter tasks, movement breaks and clearer instructions. But these supports are not a substitute for treatment when ADHD is present. Recent reviews published in scientific journals similarly describe psychosocial, behavioural and lifestyle measures as essential parts of care, alongside medication when it is appropriate.
The article also makes clear that ADHD-like symptoms are not unique to the disorder. Inattention, impulsivity and high activity levels can appear in many children and adults, and similar difficulties may be caused by language problems, learning disorders or anxiety. That is why, Dr El-Dekrory said, the right question is not how many symptoms a child has, but why those difficulties are happening.
Medication remains a sensitive part of the conversation. According to the scientific reviews cited in the material, drug treatment can reduce symptoms, but response, tolerability and dosing vary, and the benefits of treatment are best considered within a broader plan. That may include behavioural support, family guidance and school-based changes, with careful follow-up by qualified specialists.
The article’s broader warning is against two opposite errors: dismissing ADHD as a myth, or labelling every restless child with a disorder. The safer approach, it argues, is careful assessment, attention to the child’s full history and a treatment plan matched to real need rather than to fashionable assumptions.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
